The Waldorf Astoria’s New Owner Will Preserve Its Art Deco Interiors

In July, news broke that the Waldorf Astoria—an iconic luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan—would close in 2017 for a considerable renovation. The Art Deco landmark, which was bought by the Chinese holdings company Anbang Insurance Group Co. back in 2015, is expected to remain shuttered for around three years while more than three-quarters of the hotel’s 1,413 rooms are converted into high-end condominiums. After preservationists repeatedly voiced their concerns over the future of the structure’s celebrated interiors, Anbang has agreed to work with the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to carry out the project.